Chapter One Hundred and Three: The Demon-Summoning Talisman

Tianshu Courtyard! It was part of Tianshu Academy, a necessary stage to become a true Tianshu disciple, taking one to five years depending on one's aptitude, with the most gifted students admitted first.

But Yunsi didn't have that much time. She had sneaked out without telling her master and needed to act quickly if she wanted to return soon.

As soon as Yunsi's injuries improved, she began searching for a way to quickly enter the Tianshu Pavilion, but to no avail.

Starving, she decided to fill her stomach first. As soon as she entered the dining hall, she felt several strange glances directed at her.

Stirring her chopsticks in the porridge, Yunsi hesitated. She had no appetite under these scrutinizing stares.

"Well, well, isn't this our academy's genius girl? Why are you here for a meal? Shouldn't you be lying half-dead in bed? Hahaha!" A group of people swaggered toward her, one of the women sneering.

The group burst into laughter, surrounding Yunsi. She glanced at them, recognizing their unfriendly demeanor and chose to stay silent.

"Tch, genius girl, hahaha! You should've seen her half-dead when she came out of the Valley of the Underworld."

"A few demon cultivators beat her to that state, and she calls herself a genius. More like a failure, hahaha!"

"…"

The mocking laughter echoed around her. Yunsi took a small sip of the porridge, then put her chopsticks back into the bowl, stirring it slowly, her thoughts drifting back to that day in the Valley of the Underworld...

Surrounded by black mist, Yunsi had struggled in terror, her wounds tearing open, pain spreading through her body, pushing her to the brink of collapse.

Just as she was about to give up hope, a yellow talisman fluttered down. Yellow background with black characters, the ominous "Demon" character stood out. In that moment, Yunsi realized that everything that day was no coincidence. Someone wanted her dead!

The talisman was a "Demon-Summoning Talisman," usually used by demon hunters to attract demons. Its presence on her was no accident. They had used her as bait to lure all the demon cultivators to her, allowing them to wait for the barrier to open without effort.

This explained why she had been relentlessly pursued by demon cultivators and why she was the only one severely injured after leaving the valley!

Yunsi looked up, her gaze indifferent as she surveyed them. Her calm eyes caused the atmosphere to tense.

Yunsi took the talisman from her sleeve and placed it on the table. Her calm gaze felt like an invisible blade, cutting through them.

Her indifferent yet piercing gaze swept over them, capturing their shocked expressions.

Yunsi suddenly let out a cold laugh, adding a chill to the tense atmosphere.

"Someone wanted me dead, but here I am, sitting safely. What makes people envious is not that I came out alive, but that I had the strength to make it out. Isn't that right?"

Her casual tone, though detached, conveyed chilling words. She stirred her chopsticks occasionally, speaking as if she didn't care...

The faces of those in front of her changed drastically, their expressions darkening, eyes filled with killing intent.

One of the men suddenly lunged forward, grabbing Yunsi by the collar, and threatened viciously, "So what if you know? If you dare report this to the pavilion master, don't blame me for telling him about your dealings with demon cultivators. I'd like to see who gets punished first!" His final words were spat out through gritted teeth, each word filled with venom.

Unfortunately, his threats held no weight against Yunsi; she simply pushed him away coldly, her eyes devoid of any emotion.

"What evidence do you have to accuse me? Who can prove that what you're saying is true?" Yunsi responded calmly.

"We all saw it. If you hadn't used demon magic, you would have died in there a long time ago," another person stepped forward to accuse.

"And who can prove that you all didn't gather together for your own selfish reasons, falsely accusing me?" Yunsi remained indifferent.

The group was dumbfounded, speechless. Perhaps they needed to consider whether they had picked the wrong target.

Yunsi's quick wit had turned her into a target for everyone, leaving her ostracized and isolated. Like a lifeless doll, she lay flat on a round stone, motionless, seeming neither alive nor dead.

The manager of the dining hall was also terrified. Seeing her lying like that, she feared Yunsi's wounds had reopened, and she had fainted.

Trembling, the manager rushed over, tears streaming down her face as she wailed, "Don't scare me like this, young lady! I almost lost my life trying to save you. If you collapse again, how can I explain to the pavilion master?"

After catching her breath, wiping her tears with her sleeve, she continued to sob, "The pavilion master mentioned wanting to see you today, and now, you... sob, sob, sob, how can I explain this to him?"

"The pavilion master wants to see me? Why didn't you say so earlier? When? Now?" Yunsi suddenly sat up, startling the manager, who trembled and knelt down.

"Are you... are you... are you okay?"

"I'm just lying here enjoying the sun. What could be wrong?" Yunsi replied casually, unaware of how her casual act of lying down had frightened someone.

"You..." The manager was speechless with anger.

Tianshu Pavilion had been established for decades, and there had never been an exception where someone could enter without studying at Tianshu Courtyard. Why did Elder Wen want the manager to bring Yunsi into the palace? Did he admire her talents too much, or was he too eager, disregarding the rules he had established, just to accept her as a disciple? But why was he so eager? Yunsi would become a true disciple of Tianshu Pavilion one day, so why the rush?

If he ever found out that the talent he admired was actually worthless, what would happen... Well, the outcome wouldn't be too pleasant!

Elder Wen pinched his beard and continued solemnly, "Now, I have a difficult task for you to handle. If you do it well, you'll get what you want."

Yunsi probably already understood the cryptic message. After all, he had said the same thing when she first entered the palace. Nevertheless, Yunsi had to pretend to be pleased and graciously smiled in return.

"Well, what should I do?"

"The body of the Fifth Prince has yet to be found, and time is running short, Your Majesty and I have set a deadline. I need you to find him as soon as possible," Elder Wen said.

The smile on Yunsi's face gradually faded. What should have been a cause for celebration now filled her with doubt.

Was it a coincidence? Or did he already know the purpose of her trip?

Thinking back on everything since she entered the palace, it seemed to confirm that this old man had long seen through her identity.

"Elder, you are really overestimating me. Even with all your divine power, you couldn't find the Fifth Prince. As for me... can I do it?" Yunsi decided to play along with his scheme. After all, this was a rare opportunity. If successful, she would turn her luck around. If she failed, she might as well face death. She wanted to take a gamble and see what this old man was really up to.

"Of course you can. You are a rare talent that comes once in a lifetime!" Elder Wen smirked.

Amidst the bustling crowd, a figure dressed in red robes and a simple hat moved through the crowd. There were many people in red robes and hats, but this one caught everyone's eye.

It was hard to say what made him stand out. Was it his captivating demeanor? Or his flamboyant attire? Whenever he stood in the crowd, he seemed to exude a special kind of charm, attracting people's attention.

The man in red robes and hat finally stopped at a tea stall. Beneath his simple veil, his crimson lips parted slightly as he calmly ordered, "Boss, a bowl of noodles, please," his voice pleasant to the ear despite its plainness.

"Sure thing, sir, just a moment!" The tea stall owner replied warmly.

The man raised his hand to remove his hat and placed it aside. His black hair cascaded down, contrasting against his pale skin, which seemed even paler under the red robes.

The tea stall owner was taken aback, looking as if he had seen a ghost.

However, Li Qiuze smiled nonchalantly, a faint smirk playing on his crimson lips, as he casually asked, "What's wrong, boss?"

"N-nothing..." The owner scratched the back of his head awkwardly, feeling that he had overreacted. Perhaps this gentleman's pale complexion was due to chronic illness.

"I heard that a divine doctor has come to our capital, but it's been so long and we haven't seen anyone. There are plenty of imposters, though," a voice from the next table chimed in.

"Well, you never know. What if there's a real one among them?"

"Hmph, come on, those country bumpkins have never even seen a divine doctor. They just hear that a divine doctor wears red robes and a simple hat, and they think they can pretend to be one by wrapping themselves in red cloth and putting on a hat?"

In a place where Li Qiuze couldn't see, malicious smiles were directed at him, but he could feel their hostility without looking.

"If you're so interested, why don't you tell me what you think a divine doctor looks like?" Li Qiuze lazily sat down at the neighboring table, his enchanting smile never ceasing to exude its charm. His dark eyes curved, with a hint of laziness, releasing his charm limitlessly.

The three men stared at Li Qiuze as if they had lost control, their inner desires evident in their eyes, their half-opened mouths drooling.

With slender fingers tapping lightly on the table, Li Qiuze's expression turned serious, his tone firm, with a hint of laziness.

"What are you looking at?"

The three men instinctively averted their gaze and wiped their mouths.

Li Qiuze couldn't help but chuckle disdainfully. "What a bunch of characters!"